IQ Testing in Schools: The Difficulties of Estimating Individual Ability
This 8-page undergraduate paper considers the following question: “You are a member of a government committee examining the use of IQ tests in schools. Present the evidence - both pro and con - and reach a conclusion about continuing such testing.” This paper finds that while IQ testing can help uncover children who require additional help in an education system which is increasingly becoming overcrowded and impersonal, the problems with IQ testing are too great for it to continue. Specifically, research has shown that IQ tests are very inaccurate, biased, improperly administered and even harmful to the academic achievement of students. For these reasons, better ways of evaluating student ability must be found.
